Seems to be getting worse despite being on antibiotics for more than 2 days

Is under 3 months of age with a temperature above 38.0°C/100.4°F or 3-6 months of age with a temperature above 39.0°C/102.2°F (but fever is common in babies up to 2 days after they receive vaccinations)

Self care

How can I help my child?

Ensure they get antibiotics at regular intervals as instructed by your doctor

It is important to make sure your child takes the antibiotics for as long as the doctor recommends. Otherwise, there is a chance that their infection won't be fully treated and your child might get ill again

Children with UTIs may be uncomfortable so you may wish to give them paracetamol or ibuprofen to help with their pain

What is a urinary tract infection (UTI)?

A UTI is an infection of the bladder or kidneys. It is caused by bacteria and is treated with antibiotics. Bladder infections are far more common than kidney infections; kidney infections are more serious and may need treatment with antibiotics through a drip in their vein

Your child is more likely to get a UTI if their are under 1 year old, a girl, or have problems with their urinary tract. About 8 in every 100 girls and 2 in every 100 boys will have had a urinary tract infection by the time they are 7 years old.

What are the symptoms?

It can be difficult to tell when a child has a UTI, especially if they are very young. The symptoms can vary depending on your child's age and the severity of the infection. Features suggesting a bladder infection include:

Pain or stinging when passing urine

Passing urine more often than normal

Crying when passing urine

Refusing to pass urine

If the following features are also present, your child might have a kidney infection:

Fever

Vomiting

Back or tummy pain

What investigations will they need?

A UTI is diagnosed by testing a sample of your child's urine (pee). This sample needs to be 'caught' in a sterile pot. The sample will usually be tested immediately (dipstick) and may also be sent to the hospital for further testing.

It will take a couple of days to get the results back - your child's antibiotics may be stopped or changed at that point.

If your child is under 6 months of age, they will need kidney scans soon after their UTI. This will be organised by their doctor. Older children with frequent UTIs may also need a scan of their kidneys. This will look to see if their is a structural problem that explains why your child is more likely to get UTIs and whether the infection has caused any damage to the kidney.

What is the treatment?

Your child will need antibiotics to treat their UTI. Most children with a bladder infection can be managed with oral antibiotics.

If your child has a kidney infection or if they are very young (under 3 months of age), they may need to go to hospital for antibiotics through a drip in their vein.

Help your child to avoid getting UTIs in the future

Ensure your child drinks plenty - aim for 6-8 glasses daily

Ensure your child goes to the toilet regularly - aim for every 2-3 hours, including at school

Treat constipation - see your GP

Encourage girls to wipe their bottom from front to back

Use loose-fitting cotton underwear

Avoid bubble bath and excessive soap in the bath

Worried that your child has got another UTI?

Next time your child has a fever for no obvious reason, especially if nobody else is unwell in the family, make sure a urine sample is checked. If your child has a UTI, it is important that it is diagnosed and treated early. That way, there is far less chance that that it will cause long term damage to their kidneys.